In U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,192 there is disclosed anchoring means for positioning a seat assembly, such as a stool, relative to a fixed station, such as a casino gaming machine 22. The seat assembly was supported on a planar support base or sled which included a quick release connection assembly releasably connecting the planar base in a desired position relative to the gaming machine. In this installed position, the seat assembly was positioned a fixed distance from the gaming machine.
Such installation of the seat assembly at a fixed distance from the gaming machine gave rise to problems when the gaming machines were changed because coin trays, coin acceptance slots and aesthetic design features can vary between different gaming machines. Such a change of the gaming machines can dictate a change in the length of the support base or sled because the space between the player on the seat and the replaced machine is either excessive or insufficient for the player on the seat. In such a situation arising from replacement of the gaming machine, the support base or sled has to be replaced or lengthened. Where the support base has to be replaced so also must the seat assembly be mounted on the new support base.
In some situations, the length of the support bases had to be extended by welding an extension of a fixed length to the bases when the gaming machines were changed. Such an expedient for changing the length of the support base or sled was time consuming and uneconomical, especially where different lengths of extensions were required because of the characteristics of the replacement machines. Once the length of the support base was changed, any subsequent change in its length where replacement of the gaming machines was undertaken, was not a feasible operation as compared to just replacing the support base or sled with one having the necessary length for placing the seat assembly at the desired distance from the gaming machine.
It is desirable, therefore, to provide a support base having a length which is adjustable to selectively position the seat assembly relative to the gaming machines and accommodate changes in the gaming machines. It is also desirable to adjust the length of the support base without the necessity of replacing the support base with a new support base. It is further desirable that the support base permit a range of adjustments and that these adjustments be accomplished rapidly and economically.